WDAY vs. SMH

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

WDAY (Workday, Inc.) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, WDAY returned 6.25%/yr vs 37.68%/yr for SMH. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

WDAY vs. SMH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Workday, Inc. (WDAY) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WDAY achieves a -31.60% return, which is significantly lower than SMH's 77.13% return. Over the past 10 years, WDAY has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 6.25%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 37.68% annualized return.

WDAY

• 1D: -1.33%
• 1M: 14.86%
• YTD: -31.60%
• 6M: -31.62%
• 1Y: -41.50%
• 3Y*: -11.72%
• 5Y*: -8.03%
• 10Y*: 6.25%

SMH

• 1D: 0.90%
• 1M: 25.87%
• YTD: 77.13%
• 6M: 75.61%
• 1Y: 157.20%
• 3Y*: 64.17%
• 5Y*: 39.21%
• 10Y*: 37.68%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

WDAY vs. SMH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WDAY Workday, Inc.	-31.60%	-16.76%	-6.53%	64.98%	-38.75%	14.01%	45.70%	2.99%	56.95%	53.94%
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	77.13%	49.17%	39.10%	73.38%	-33.53%	42.13%	55.53%	64.45%	-9.05%	38.48%

Correlation

The correlation between WDAY and SMH is -0.10, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.41
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 15, 2012	0.44

The correlation between WDAY and SMH shifts across timeframes, from -0.10 (1 year) to 0.46 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

WDAY vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

WDAY

WDAY Risk / Return Rank: 8
WDAY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
WDAY Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
WDAY Omega Ratio Rank: 8
WDAY Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
WDAY Martin Ratio Rank: 7

SMH

SMH Risk / Return Rank: 96
SMH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
SMH Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
SMH Omega Ratio Rank: 95
SMH Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
SMH Martin Ratio Rank: 96

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

WDAY vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Workday, Inc. (WDAY) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	WDAY	SMH	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.96	5.19	-6.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.40	5.22	-6.61
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.83	1.72	-0.89
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.75	10.59	-11.34
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.42	40.63	-42.05
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WDAY vs. SMH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WDAY Sharpe Ratio is -0.96, which is lower than the SMH Sharpe Ratio of 5.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WDAY and SMH, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WDAY	SMH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.96	5.19	-6.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.21	1.13	-1.33
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.16	1.16	-1.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.34	-0.12

Drawdowns

WDAY vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WDAY drawdown since its inception was -63.38%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WDAY and SMH.

Drawdown Indicators

	WDAY	SMH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.38%	-84.96%	+21.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-55.52%	-14.93%	-40.59%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-63.38%	-35.74%	-27.64%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-63.38%	-45.30%	-18.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-63.38%	-45.30%	-18.08%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-52.18%	0.00%	-52.18%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.90%	-41.09%	+20.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	29.28%	3.89%	+25.39%

Volatility

WDAY vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison

Workday, Inc. (WDAY) has a higher volatility of 21.37% compared to VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) at 11.47%. This indicates that WDAY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SMH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WDAY	SMH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	21.37%	11.47%	+9.90%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	37.30%	24.29%	+13.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	43.39%	30.56%	+12.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	38.92%	35.01%	+3.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	38.90%	32.57%	+6.33%

Dividends

WDAY vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison

WDAY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.17%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF	0.17%	0.31%	0.44%	0.60%	1.18%	0.51%	0.69%	1.50%	1.88%	1.43%	0.80%	2.14%
WDAY Workday, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WDAY and SMH in my portfolio?

WDAY and SMH have a correlation of -0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WDAY or SMH?

WDAY has higher volatility (21.37%) compared to SMH (11.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WDAY dropped -63.38% vs SMH's -84.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.19 vs -0.96), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.